Finger Food Recipes

Remember last week, when I posted a re-interpreted, fusion appetizer, maki-style? Well, this is the meat version. The dish consisted of blanched zucchini, carrot and enoki mushrooms stuffed in beef rolls, then quickly pan-seared until a crust was formed. You could also wrap the rolls in bacon or phyllo dough to secure them better, but if you're counting calories, these are just as delicious.

The idea was to create something new with ground beef instead of a good old burger. Even though the beef rolls are barely seared, the ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce help season and pre-cook the meat. So as long as you use fresh meat, you're good to go.

Our family recently went to a Japanese sushi bar and enjoyed platters of delicious rolls. When I came home, I was inspired by the sushi and reinterpreted a new fusion appetizer, maki-style.

The appetizer consists of a tofu roll filled with shiitake mushrooms, carrots celery, insanely fragrant onions I grew myself in our garden and garlic. As I created the dish, I realized I wouldn't be able to keep the roll in place by simply rolling a sheet of pan-fried tofu. I improved and wrapped them in phyllo dough. You'll be surprised; it wasn't that complicated. Sometimes, improvisation ends up with beautiful results!

Whenever I see fresh crab available at the market, I buy a few, boil or sauté them and reserve at least one for cracking later to make another dish the following day. This is exactly what we did and this time I made crab cakes. I flavored the crab with capers, tarragon, chives and marinated artichoke hearts. My tip is to chill the crab cakes for a few minutes before cooking them to help them hold their shape.

I served the crab cakes with twice-baked potatoes and grilled asparagus on a bed of homemade hollandaise sauce. I wanted to serve the crab cakes warm, so little Aria and I dug in immediately after the meal was ready and I took photos afterwards. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to capture the beautiful crab cakes with the hollandaise sauce as reheating it caused curdling. So even though the sauce isn't pictured, give some extra time to preparing it because the results are well worth it for a perfect weeknight meal!

Paneer masala is pan-fried paneer cheese simmered in a spicy, creamy sauce. It is amazing with plain basmati rice or hot naan. But instead of serving this dish the traditional way, I used it as a filling for mushrooms. The bold flavor of the curry sauce marries beautifully with the earthiness of the mushrooms; they make the most delicious fusion appetizers.

The idea for these cute appetizers was inspired by my aunt, Ma Mười. She told me the first time she tried Indian food years ago at a restaurant, she was served a lot of little metal tins filled with colorful sauces. After a while, she asked the waiter when her main meal was going to arrive. She thought they were condiments and didn't realize that was her entire meal.

These appetizers showcase the wonderful flavors of Indian cuisine for those who are not really familiar with this culture. I've prepared pizzas, "naaninis" and other fusion dishes with Indian toppings in the past. Indian cuisine is boldly flavored, so pairing it with simple and attractive presentation techniques is a low-risk strategy for producing delicious new dishes.

Chicken wings aren't really a popular snack in France, so I only had the chance to really experience them when I moved to the US. I love their versatility and they're one of the best choices for party finger foods, assuming you don't mind getting your digits a little dirty.

I made this batch using an Asian-style sweet and spicy marinade, and I used beet juice as natural red (49er-friendly) food coloring. The last step was basting the chicken wings with the thickened marinade using arrowroot starch. I can already picture us in the TV room this Sunday watching the Super Bowl game. My husband will be staring at his favorite team, the Niners, and I'll have my eyes on the chicken wings!